St. Olaf College Athletics

Erica Maker is in her seventh season as the head women's cross country coach at St. Olaf in 2024-25 and also serves as an assistant coach for the women's track & field program. A 2004 graduate of St. Olaf, Maker was named to both positions on May 21, 2018.

Maker has led St. Olaf to three consecutive top-20 national finishes in cross country over the last three seasons, as the Oles placed 13th in 2021, eighth in 2022, and 16th in 2023. St. Olaf has finished in the top two at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Championships in each of the last three seasons, winning the team title in 2021 and placing second in 2022 and 2023. Maker was named the 2021 MIAC Coach of the Year after leading the Oles to their 10th team title and first since 2010.

In Maker's five seasons of competition (2020 season canceled), St. Olaf has finished in the top three in the MIAC and in the top five in the region each season. The Oles have either qualified for the NCAA Championships as a team or sent at least one individual to the national meet in each year as well.

St. Olaf has produced two All-Americans, 21 USTFCCCA All-Region honorees, 19 All-MIAC honorees, and 10 Honorable Mention All-MIAC honorees under Maker. Her teams have also excelled academically, receiving the USTFCCCA All-Academic Award in each season while producing 70 Academic All-MIAC honorees and 28 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes.

Prior to returning to St. Olaf, Maker was most recently an assistant cross country and track & field coach at NCAA Division I Marist College. She also spent time at Division III Vassar College following stints at NCAA Division III powers Williams College (2007-09, 2010-14) and Trinity University (Tex.) (2009-10). While Maker was at Williams, the Ephs made trips to the NCAA Division III National Championships in each season and had a combined five top-five finishes between the men's and women's programs at the national meet.

Maker began her coaching career when she served as an assistant women's cross country coach at NCAA Division I Northwestern University. 
 

THE OLES UNDER ERICA MAKER
SEASON	MIAC FINISH	ALL-MIAC/HM All-MIAC HONOREES	REGIONAL FINISH	ALL-REGION HONOREES	NCAA FINISH	ALL-AMERICANS
2018	3rd/12	2/0	5th/29	2	Hawgood 82nd, Fisher 147th	---
2019	3rd/12	2/2	5th/30	4	Hawgood 28th	1
2020*	---	---	---	---	---	---
2021	1st/11	5/2	4th/32	4	13th/32	---
2022	2nd/12	5/3	3rd/33	6	8th/32	1
2023	2nd/12	5/3	4th/31	5	16th/32	---

*2020 season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic